South Boston's $6.2 million general fund budget for 1999-2000 passed without a hitch Monday night during the regular June council meeting.
Overall, the general fund budget shows a 3.69 percent decrease from last year, but still leaves $173,520 in contingency funds.
The result of this smaller general fund budget is lower real estate taxes, decreased utility tax rates, and reduced charges for business and professional operators licenses.
With the new budget, real estate taxes will drop from 21¢ per $100 to 19¢ per $100 of assessed value. Personal property tax levels will remain the same.
The consumer utility tax rate will drop from 20 %of the first $15 to 10% of the first $20, while commercial customers utility tax rate of 20% of the first $1,000 will change to 10% of the first $2,000.
What this means is that electric and telephone residential customers will save $2 per month or $24 annually, while businesses having telephone expenses of $500 per month and electric of $1,000, will save an average of $200 per month, or $2,400 a year.
The Business and Professional Operators License (PBOL) rate was also cut in half, saving licensees $285,000 annually, studies show.
With these reductions, residents and businesses will realize a total estimated savings of $645,000, South Boston Mayor Glen Abernathy pointed out.
But while rates fell in some areas, water and sewer rates rose dramatically.
A study showed that the town's sewer expenses for FY1999 will be more than double sewer revenues. According to study figures, water sewer expenditures will exceed revenues by some $412,200 this year.
To augment this difference and to finance state mandated improvements to the sewer system, council voted to increase water and sewer rates.
"We've got to pay the bills," Abernathy said during a public hearing held last week. "For the past four or five years the town has been subsidizing water and sewer out of the general fund. We've had a cumulative $1.5 million in excess expenses over revenue that has come out of the general fund.
"Plus, in February this year, a consent order for $9 million was signed for state mandate improvements to the sewer system," Abernathy continued.
Under the new budget passed Monday night, in-town residential customers using 6,000 gallons of water every two months will see their bi-monthly bill increase by $28.04, for an annual increase of $168.24.
Those in-town residential customers using 10,000 gallons or more will see an increase of $31.89 when the bill arrives every two months.
Those larger, out-of-town residential, commercial, public and governmental agencies will see their rates increase even more, as those using 30,000 gallons will be billed $126.20 more bi-monthly.
Basic sewer rates will rise to $26.95 for 1,000 gallon in-town customers, with a charge of $1.57 per 1,000 gallons additional. Out-of-town customers will pay twice that amount.
Water and sewer connection fees will go up to $1,250, plus the cost of installation. Total water and sewer connection fees will run around $3,200 per customer.
"We need to do this to put the (water and sewer) fund on sound financial footing," said South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel. "(These billing changes) are fair and equitable to all classes of customers."
The FY1999 budget also earmarks $55,180 for the Drug Task Force, and allowed for town employees to receive a cost-of-living pay increase of approximately 2.5%.
Increased state funding (House Bill 599) in the amount of just over $140,000 will help boost local law enforcement salaries some 12% across the board and make their pay competitive with other localities.
In other business, the council voted unanimously to adopt the comprehensive zoning plan, which has been the subject of numerous public hearings over the past few months.
This plan outlines the different district regulations for the following: R-1 - Low Density Residential; R-2 - Medium Density Residential; R-3 (smaller) Medium Residential; R-4 - Multi Family Residential; T-1 - Mixed Transitional (business to residential); B-1 - Neighborhood Business; B-2 - General Business District (such as Hupps Mill); B-3 - Central Business District; M-1 - General Industrial; AR - Adaptive Reuse (such as the applied Community Development Block Grant study of the tobacco warehouses); Manufactured Home Park District; PD - Planned Development Districts (residential and business); and the Floodplain District.
Daniel explained that the Planning Commission will be overseeing the development of a revised zoning map using these ordinances. Target dates for public hearings regarding the zoning map have been tentatively set before the Planning Commission July 7, and the Town Council July 12.
If adopted, the zoning districts, map, and fee schedule would become effective August 1.
Several residents from the east side of town came before council to request some assistance in dealing with a neighbor on Eastover Drive.
The man reportedly keeps seven grown dogs and five puppies confined to a small pen, according to John Snead, and the smell is so bad other residents cannot enjoy being outside their own homes.
"It's a mess next door - really bad. I mean the smell is real, real bad," he said.
Julius and Margaret Barksdale are also bothered by the stench.
"It is just unreal. I can't go in the yard or have a cookout (due to the smell) and the owner won't do anything about it," Mrs. Barksdale said.
Another neighbor said the dogs are also neglected.
Council member C.W. Rorrer explained that the Animal Control Officer had been to the property, reviewed the situation, and offered the property owner some advice on controlling the odor, such as applying lime to the pen.
The dog owner has also been charged with "offensive conditions" and is scheduled to appear in court, South Boston Police Chief Jim Hall said, and Daniel encouraged the residents concerned with the problem to attend the June 28 hearing in Halifax County General District Court.
As was expected after receiving recommendation from the Current Issue Committee, Council voted in favor of passing a resolution to request inmate labor from Halifax Correctional Camp #23 to assist in the maintenance of the Dixie Inc. Complex on Houghton Boulevard.
A copy of the resolution will be forwarded to Camp #23.
Council also voted unanimously to decline participation in the unreduced early retirement benefit plan that would apply to employees who are, or will become, members of the Virginia Retirement System.
In a unanimous decision, Council also voted in favor of Centerville Baptist Church's request to close approximately 170 feet of the south end of Worsham Street for their building project.
Appointments included the following:
· South Boston Police Chief Jim Hall was appointed to serve as South Boston's representative on the Southside Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) Board in place of Julian Harrison.
Harrison, whose term expires June 30, was appointed to the board in August 1993 and has served two, three-year terms, thus making him ineligible for reappointment.
Harrison currently serves as Vice-Chairman, and is slated to be Chairman next year.
· Robert Hollister, IDA Chairman, and Earl Scott, who was originally appointed in October 1995 to fill a vacancy, were both reappointed to the Industrial Development Authority.
· Glen Faulkner was appointed to serve on the Halifax County-South Boston Regional Library Board in the place of Ellen Kent, who, after serving one full four-year term, declined reappointment.
· Carroll Thaxton was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Southside Regional Partnership Corporate Leader slot.

The controversy over the Penick Pool closing resurfaced Monday night after the South Boston Town Council approved the 1999-2000 budget, which includes more than $130,000 for recreation, but no funds to reopen the facility.
Several local residents came before council to voice their desire to see the pool repaired and reopened to the public this season in order to give the neighborhood children someplace to spend their idle summer hours.
"Our children have nowhere to play," said Hubert Bennel, who was concerned about the pool closing. "You need to give these kids somewhere to go so they get off the street."
While
Ever since the Pennick Avenue and Grove Street pools closed several years ago, individuals from surrounding neighborhoods have been pushing to repair and reopen the Pennick Avenue Pool.
South Boston Town Manager explained that the town conducted a feasibility study on repairing the Pennick Avenue Pool and ruled that the cost of properly repairing the facility was too much. Instead, Daniel explained the town has been working out a way to transport children from the neighborhoods surrounding the Armory to the YMCA to swim, but the matter is still in negotiation.
He added that the town has been working with the Recreation Department in planning a community park in the Pennick Avenue area that would cater to individuals of all ages.
"If you build that playground it will cost more than it would to renovate the pool," Bennel stated.
According to Daniel, the initial cost of patching the Pennick Avenue Pool and installing a filter system would cost around $17,000, however, the facility also needs about $15,000 more to complete additional repairs. He said the cost of the park would be approximately $26,000.
Other speakers said they felt the Town did not take their requests seriously because they were black.
"Our kids deserve that pool, and we have the right to ask," said Clarence Ross. "We ask that you respect them. I don't think you take our problems - black problems - seriously."
Rev. Roger Ford, President of the local NAACP Chapter, who brought with him a list of people who said they would volunteer their time to work on the pool, also voiced his thoughts on the matter.
"So many young people don't have anything to do. There is no recreation of any magnitude. All of us have been kids and know they have energy they need to burn up, and they need a place to do it," he explained. "African Americans have such a hard time getting anything done in this area. It is unfair and not good for South Boston."
The remarks about racial disparity drew immediate response from South Boston Mayor Glen Abernathy.
"We have $130,000 in the budget for recreation for black, white, green or yellow. I challenge you to compare South Boston with other entities," he said.
Bennell challenged council further by suggesting it was a waste of money to invest an estimated $26,000 into a park "that no one would use" as opposed to using only $17,000 to fix and open the Pennick Pool this summer.
"We have had the pool checked by experts, and they have told us that $17,000 might open it, but not for long. It would be a second rate facility open for only a year," council member C.W. Rorrer said.
"We don't need a piece of junk with a Band-aid on it," added Abernathy. "We need to get together and work together to build something we can all be proud of."
Council member Edward Owens also encouraged the group to work together for the benefit of the entire community.
"I have always been for the pool and I'd like to see it stay open," Owens said "But (Town Manager Ted Daniel) said it will cost $17,500 to fill the pool and put in the filter system, and an extra $15,000 for additional repairs. If the community is willing to commit, and the town commits, we should put in a first class facility. "

Errors in the school system's 1997-98 Crime and Violence Report sent to the State Department of Education has given the Halifax County Public Schools a black eye.
And, while the correct numbers put the county school system in a much more positive light in the arena of school violence, it is not possible to correct the numbers on the 1999 Virginia School Performance Report Card which was published and released to state news media several weeks ago.
As a result, the school system can only bear the burden of the negative aspects of the report.
"This was a new report and we had no one person who was the overseer of school violence," explained county school superintendent Dennis Witt.
"We just erred on this one. I'll take the responsibility. That's the school system report."
Dr. J.O. Crews explained to the school board that each fall the school system must submit a crime and violence report to the State Department of Education. School system personnel were in the process of reviewing the 1997-98 report and reviewing and compiling reports for the 1998-99 school year when the disparities were uncovered.
In looking at the 1997-98 report, Crews said, the report showed 32 non-firearm weapon violations among female students at Halifax County Middle School and two among males.
"Once we investigated and got the information from school records, there were three reported in one grade level (grade seven) and two in the other (grade eight). So, instead of getting the number 5 to go to Richmond, we got 32. That's a bad number, On our school division report card, instead of a total of 34, our school record should show seven."
"It looked funky when we got it (the report) out and it turned out to be funky," noted Witt.
Another key problem in the report, according to Crews, is the interpretation of definitions of various offenses, a problem that renders more of the local numbers inaccurate in terms of the state school report card.
Halifax County's report shows 140 incidents of physical violence against students and five incidents of physical violence against staff.
However, school system officials told the school board Monday night the numbers were based on local definitions for the offense - not the definition used by the state for the purposes of the state school report card.
"For us, physical violence is two students hitting each other," explained Dr. J.O. Crews.
"The state's definition is different."
Crews submitted with the report a complete outline of the definitions used by the state. The state's definition of physical assault is "an unlawful beating; a victim and an offender can be clearly identified; minor or serious injury results."
Crews noted the report showed that there were 73 physical assaults against students at Halifax County Middle School, 25 at Clays Mill Elementary, 19 at Clover Elementary, seven at Meadville, seven at Wilson Memorial, five at Halifax County High School, and two at Cluster Springs.
The report also showed there were 5 incidents of physical violence against staff at Clays Mill Elementary.
And, Crews noted, because of the disparity among school administrators in the interpretation of the definitions "our statistics are much more favorable than are shown."
He pointed out, for example, that that if the state's definition had been used rather than the local definition, Clays Mill would have had zero physical assaults as opposed to the 25 stated on the report. Crews also stated that he was sure the middle school could have had a couple of incidents but not 73 incidents as shown on the report.
"Each school had its own interpretation," he said.
"We can only take the numbers the schools give us. We had to rely on the numbers from the individual school reports being correct.
Witt pointed out that while the local numbers are in error, the damage has been done and nothing can be done to correct the numbers on the state report.
"These numbers have already been in the papers," Witt said.
"The damage has already been done on that. We have to take responsibility for that and we do. We weren't alert on that issue and got burned."
Crews said that a school violence taskforce has been assembled to analyze data and seek to determine if there are any specific trends in the area of school violence that stand out above any others.
A subcommittee has been formed, he said, to perform an indepth study of the local and state definitions of various offenses, align the local definitions with the state definitions, and realign the computer data to match up more closely with the data the state is requiring.
The result, he said, will be a more accurate picture when the 1998-99 school figures are reported.

No charges were filed in a freak accident involving a boat that came loose from behind a truck Saturday evening.
Virginia State Police reports indicated that Barry Dale Moorfield, 31, of South Boston, was pulling a fishing boat behind his 1998 Chevrolet pick-up along MacDonald Road (Route 344) near Scottsburg around 6 p.m. when the trailer tongue broke and the boat came loose.
A report filed by investigating State Trooper C.M. Flemming indicated that the boat and trailer ran off the left side of MacDonald Road approximately 200 feet east of Falkland Road (Route 716) and overturned, causing and estimated $3,900 to the boat and trailer.
The following morning, a Red House man was charged after he clipped another vehicle along Route 501.
Reports indicated that Sheila B. Melton, 52, of Spotsylvania, and another vehicle behind her had slowed for another vehicle turning on to Winn's Creek Road (Route 615) when Thomas Hugh Birch, 25, of Red House, drove up from behind.
Birch reportedly swerved to avoid the slowed vehicles, but struck the right rear bumper of the 1998 Mercedes driven by Melton, causing an estimated $2,000 in damage.
Damage to Birch's vehicle, a 1997 Ford pick-up, was estimated at $1,000.
No injuries were reported, and Trooper R.C. Compton charged Birch, who also hit a stop sign, with reckless driving.

There is something compelling about artist Aaron Sleeper.
Perhaps it is the focused intensity of one who has found his life's passion or, perhaps, the quiet strength he's gained along life's path.
Funny, bright, talented, he cannot remember "not drawing," and he has known most of his 17 years art would be his life's work.
Primarily self-taught, portraits, seascapes, cartoon characters, posters and his own illustrated stories are part of his artistic milieu ...as is his probing insight.
"He goes under the surface and brings to the top what makes us really tick, where we are as a people," explained Halifax County Little Theatre director Vicky Witko. "Not everyone has the gift of going beneath the surface of society."
Halifax High School drama teacher Becky Donner first met Aaron when he was in the eighth grade.
"His sister Courtney was assistant director one year," recalled Donner. It was Courtney who suggested her brother create the poster for the play production.
The drama director admits she was a bit hesitant.
"It was 'Lagooned,' a play with weird witch doctors," she recalled.
A week or so later Courtney brought in Aaron's design, a beautiful tropical island with palm trees. And coming up over the edge, a witch doctor with the words lagooned worked into the island motif.
"It's wonderful," Donner recalled telling Courtney. "We will use it."
The poster also was used as the cover for the program. "And for three years he has done the poster and program design," added Donner
"You just talk to him about the show ...and let him go. He listens and he is pretty on target," added the director. "He certainly has a gift in this area and he has been very nice to share it."
Vicky Witko has her own artistic slant on the Sleeper clan.
"His sister Courtney was the wicked stepmother in Snow White for Halifax County Little Theatre," recalled the Little Theatre board member. "And there is another older sister who is artistic," said the director of Aaron's sister, Sabrina, a lover of architecture.
"There is a whole genetic dispersion of creativity in that family," declared Witko. "They're loaded with creative DNA."
Aaron plans to channel his natural gift into the graphic arts, perhaps animation.
He had a personal glimpse into the world of animation several years ago when he received a letter with artwork from two animators working on "Beauty and the Beast" for Disney Studios.
Art is an everyday pursuit for the 17 year old who "spends almost as much time on art as I do sleeping."
Aaron also exhibits a healthy dose of "timing" savvy.
His love of history has opened several story concepts in his mind, even initiating research and story line development by him for one, a work in progress.
"I like the early machine age," said the artist. "With the Nautilus they still had all the myths and the unexplained areas."
Aaron's curiosity includes today's nautical engineering, propulsion technology and sonar as well.
He is also intrigued by the story of the Spanish invasion and the fate of the highly civilized Incas.
At least two, perhaps three, story ideas Aaron contemplated later surfaced as popular films, an outstanding "idea" batting average in anyone's score book, and an average confirming he is on the right idea track.
Add a dash of the entrepreneur, Aaron's artistic talent unleashed in Pipeline, his selection of screen printed shirts.
"I started the company because I was tired of spending $20 for a shirt," explained the artist.
Now customers can "Surf the Earth" with Aaron's shirts for $12-$16. "I have fifteen to twenty different designs and they all have to do with the beach or sports," he added.
Of course there is another side to the teenager, the one involved in rebuilding a '67 Mustang convertible ...and enjoying the prospects of summer '99.

Marion Wilborn Brown of Brooklyn, NY, formerly of Clover, died Thursday, June 10, 1999 at Monteflore in Bronx, NY at the age of 58.
Mrs. Brown was born in Halifax County on March 2, 1941.
Survivors include her husband, Adpholus Brown of Brooklyn; her mother, Jeanetta Johnson of New York City; two sisters, Janet and Gladys of Bronx; and mother-in-law, Emma Brown of Clover.

Funeral services for Mrs. Brown were held Tuesday, June 15 at 2 p.m. at Bethel Grove Baptist Church in Clover with Revs. Robert Vanhook and Lawrence Graves officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.

Merra Carrington died Monday, May 31, 1999 in Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, NY.
Ms. Carrington was born in South Boston on March 3, 1942 the daughter of Viola Alderson Carrington and Robert Lee Carrington Sr.
Survivors include one daughter; Mae Carrington; her mother; five sisters, Thelma Bryant, Sammye Holloway, Jean Winston, her twin, Melba Crews, and Marian Carrington.

A funeral service for Ms. Carrington was held Friday, June 4 at 11 a.m. at Union Baptist Church in New York City with Dr. Ollie B. Wells Sr. officiating.

John Edward Jones of Westside Trailer Park, South Boston died at his home at the age of 50.
He was born in Halifax County on August 2, 1948 the son of Cephas Jones and Mary Royster Jones. He was a member of Owens Grove Baptist Church and was a Vietnam Army Veteran.
Survivors include one daughter, Angel Thomas of New York; two sons, Deangelo Thomas of New York and John Dwayne Jones of Petersburg; four grandchildren; three sisters, Dorothy Gunn and Jerline Jones, both of South Boston and Esther Edmondson of Scottsburg.
A funeral service for Mr. Jones will be held today, June 16 at 2 p.m. at Jeffress Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. John Leigh officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Robert Edward McGhee of 1060 Old Concord Road, Nathalie died Monday, June 14, 1999 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 62 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. McGhee was born in Ridley Township, PA on March 5, 1937 the son of Richard T. McGhee and Frances Bell McGhee and was married to Faye Terry McGhee. He was a graduate of Lynchburg College and Florida Institute of Technology. He served his country proudly for 24 years as a decorated officer in the United States Air Force, and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He also commissioned his three sons into the Air Force. He was an accomplished playwrite, poet, author and musician.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter and son-in-law, Teri Faye and Christopher Broom of Coppell, TX; three sons and daughters-in-law, Brian and Cindy Hill McGhee of Oklahoma City, OK, Major Michael and Susan Johnson McGhee of Waldorf, MD and Captain Jerry and Cynthia Holt McGhee of Eglin AFB, FL; two sisters, Barbara M. Hutchison of Easton, MD and Carolyn M. Wacumski of PA; four brothers, Richard T. McGhee of Cheraw, SC, Donald McGhee of Mt. Holly, NJ, Jackie McGhee of Easton, MD and Curtis McGhee of NC; nine grandchildren, Ryan, Ashley, Nicholas and Amber McGhee, all of Oklahoma City, Zachary and Sam McGhee of Waldorf, Collin McGhee and Linda Williams of Eglin AFB and Kent Broom of Coppell; and two great-nephews, Justin and Luke Woosley of Nathalie.
Funeral services for Mr. McGhee will be held Friday, June 18 at 2 p.m. at Mulberry Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Jerry Jordan conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery with Military Rites.

The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home Thursday, June 17 from 7 until 8:30 p.m. and other times at the home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the North Halifax Volunteer Fire Department First Responders or the Halifax County Rescue Squad.